Matibag to present NBI's full probe on VP Sara's 'threats' at impeachment trial

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is set to present the bureau’s "full investigation" into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged threats against President Bongbong Marcos and his family when he testifies before the Senate impeachment court next week, House prosecutors said Friday.

House prosecutor Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon said Matibag will take the witness stand on Tuesday, July 21,as the final witness for the fourth article of impeachment against Duterte.

“Sa darating pong Martes, si NBI Director Melvin Matibag ang huli pong isasalang ng prosekusyon para sa article on threats para tahiin ang kabuuan ng naging imbestigasyon ng NBI dito sa continuing threat ng Pangalawang Pangulo laban sa ating Pangulo at sa kanyang pamilya,” Ridon said during a press briefing.

(Next Tuesday, NBI Director Melvin Matibag will be the prosecution’s final witness for the article on threats to piece together the NBI’s entire investigation into the Vice President’s continuing threat against the President and his family.)

Cybercrime investigation

The fourth article of impeachment accuses Duterte of betrayal of public trust and other impeachable offenses over her Nov. 23, 2024 statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Ridon said Matibag’s testimony will go beyond the digital forensic evidence and investigative findings previously presented before the impeachment court.

“Hindi lang po ito cybercrime investigation katulad ng ginawa ni Atty. Lotoc at ni Agent Calilung, kundi ang iba pang mga ulat mula sa kabuuan ng opisina ng NBI,” he said.

(This is not limited to the cybercrime investigation conducted by Atty. Lotoc and Agent Calilung but will also include other reports from across the entire NBI.)

The prosecution has so far presented NBI Special Agent John Mark Calilung, who authenticated the Nov. 23, 2024 video containing Duterte’s statements, and NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, who testified that the bureau recommended filing three counts of grave threats and one count of inciting to sedition against the Vice President.

Credibility

Meanwhile, House impeachment team spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers said the defense failed to weaken the credibility of the prosecution’s first two witnesses during cross-examination.

“Nakita naman natin sa dalawang testimonya ng aming mga witnesses… hindi pa ho nagigiba ’yung credibility ng aming mga testigo,” Barbers said.

(As we have seen from the testimonies of our two witnesses, the credibility of our witnesses has not been undermined.)

Barbers also noted that the defense relied on the same authenticated video presented by the prosecution during its cross-examination of Calilung.

“Itong ebidensyang in-authenticate ng aming unang witness ay in-authenticate din naman ng panig ng depensa dahil kitang-kita na ginamit din nila itong ebidensyang ito,” he said.

(The evidence authenticated by our first witness was effectively authenticated by the defense as well because they themselves used the same evidence.) —VAL, GMA News